Health and AI: Ro bets on an agent, Eli Lilly on retatrutide

The digitization of healthcare is advancing amid strict regulations and technical promises. Platforms are testing clinical AI agents, while pharmacology continues to pursue GLP-1 with Eli Lilly's retatrutide, still in trials but already the subject of off-label interest. Two fronts in the same competition for the next generation of care.

In healthcare, AI progresses under strong constraints and trade-offs

Confidentiality, regulation, and the high stakes inherent to the healthcare sector impose a delicate balance on the adoption of artificial intelligence. The gap between data mastery and sector expertise is also found in other industries, contributing to the strategic value of data. This tension fuels competition between healthcare companies and tech giants seeking to use AI to better serve their clients. OpenAI, for example, relies on a medical expert to help navigate the specifics of the field. AI-driven companies often have powerful technical infrastructures but may lack in-depth clinical expertise.

Ro highlights a clinical AI agent based on patient data

Companies like Ro benefit from expertise in the healthcare field and easier access to patient data, but sometimes acknowledge a lack of technical know-how compared to AI specialists. Ro's CEO, Zach Reitano, presents an AI agent capable of utilizing information from prescriptions or connected devices. This tool can make health suggestions, including recommending dose adjustments or medication schedules to reduce side effects.

Retatrutide: ongoing trials, reported weight loss, and gray market

Therapeutically, retatrutide, a next-generation injectable developed by Eli Lilly, is still in clinical trials and awaiting regulatory approval. This drug has been tested against Ozempic in patients with type 2 diabetes: those treated with retatrutide lost an average of more than 21 kg over 16 months, compared to 9.5 kg for those on the maximum dose of Ozempic during the same period. Dubbed by some as "King Kong" or "triple G" because it mimics three different hormones, retatrutide could, according to some, enable weight loss comparable to that of bariatric surgery. Although still in trials, the gray market is already flooded with counterfeit versions, particularly sought after by fitness enthusiasts who tout their ability to rapidly reduce fat. GLP-1 medications, of which retatrutide is a part, are known to reduce appetite and slow digestion. Eli Lilly considers this candidate particularly promising.